China's education reform drive draws applause, advice worldwide

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Premier Li Keqiang has stressed recently that China would strive to balance the distribution of educational resources, properly reform the entrance exam approach and accelerate the building of an employment-oriented modern vocational education system to boost education quality and fairness.

China's educational reforms laid out in the government work report at the ongoing annual session of China's top legislature has drawn wide applause and helpful advice from education experts and professionals worldwide.

<b>DIALOGUE 1</b>

Xinhua: What impresses you most about China's education and Chinese students? What advantages and problems do you think China has in education?

"What impresses me most is that Chinese students are well organized and disciplined. We should learn from them," said Mariana Escalante, a lecturer on Chinese language at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

"When I was studying at Peking University, I found their capabilities in memorizing textbook knowledge are mind blowing. I even wondered whether they were born with special abilities," she added.

Meanwhile, Escalante suggested that the teacher-student relationship be more natural. While maintaining their authority, teachers should increase interaction and students' participation to encourage students to more actively express their ideas and queries.

Alicia Relinque, a professor in the Faculty of Translation and Interpreting in the University of Granada, said she was deeply impressed by Chinese teachers' devotion to teaching and the students' respect for their teachers.

"The education system in China is well planned, especially the curriculum in primary and secondary schools," said the professor. "It can ensure the all-round development of students."

But she also said Chinese students should be relieved from the overloads of homework and after-school learning programs.

Kim Goun, a research fellow at Seoul National University, said Chinese exam-oriented education should be transformed to improve students' integrated quality. The researcher stressed China's higher education entrance exams should focus more on personal talents.